Seeking an intelligent friend in athens

The couple had a son, Pericles the Younger , but the full details of the couple's marital status are unknown. According to Plutarch , her house became an intellectual centre in Athens, attracting the most prominent writers and thinkers, including the philosopher Socrates. There are also suggestions in ancient sources that the teachings of Aspasia influenced Socrates. Aspasia is mentioned in the writings of Plato , Aristophanes , Xenophon , and others. Though she spent most of her adult life in Greece, few details of her life are fully known. Many scholars have credited ancient comic depictions of Aspasia as a brothel keeper and a prostitute despite their inherent implausibility.

What Made Ancient Athens a City of Genius?

Why Ancient Athens Was a City of Creativity and Genius - The Atlantic

They brought us democracy, science, philosophy, written contracts, taxes, writing, and schools. But the apex of their civilization, sandwiched between two wars, lasted just 24 years—in human history, a lightning flash across the summer sky. For much of its history, Athens was either preparing for war, at war, or recovering from war. But in the window between the Persian and Peloponnesian Wars, from to B. Like Silicon Valley today, ancient Athens during this brief period became a talent magnet, attracting smart, ambitious people.

Socrates — What Makes Someone Wise?

He was among the greatest commanders of antiquity. As a historian, Xenophon is known for recording the history of his time, the late-5th and early-4th centuries BC, in such works as the Hellenica , which covered the final seven years and the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War — BC , thus representing a thematic continuation of Thucydides ' History of the Peloponnesian War. As one of the Ten Thousand Greek mercenaries , Xenophon participated in Cyrus the Younger 's failed campaign to claim the Persian throne from his brother Artaxerxes II of Persia and recounted the events in Anabasis , his most notable history. Like Plato — BC , Xenophon is an authority on Socrates, about whom he wrote several books of dialogues the Memorabilia and an Apology of Socrates to the Jury , which recounts the philosopher's trial in BC.

Imagine you lived in a town where an ugly, big nosed and smelly man walked around undermining your intelligence. His physical ugliness and unattractive scent does not make the greatest first impression. A lot of your neighbors complained about him because he made them feel dumb. This was your chance to shine to show how smart you were.